Bottle capsule



March 21, 1939. k w. E. GLENSKY BOTTLE CAPSULE Filed March 3, 1936 {NVENTOR WILL/AM EGLENSKY.

ATTO EY.

Patented Mar. 2 1, 11939 PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CAPSULE William E. Glensky, New Kensington, Pa... assignor toAlumin um Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application March 3. 1936, Serial No. 66,829

2 Claims.

This invention relates to capsules applied errteriorly to container necks and closures to form an auxiliary closure for decorative and protective purposes. It relates particularly, but not exclusively, to such capsules suitable for application to the container by compression.

Metallic capsules applied over closures of the crown and stopper type have come into general use, particularly upon bottles containing potable liquids, alcoholic or otherwise. While metallic capsules can be suitably colored for a decorative efiect and may carry printed matter, embossed designs or advertising, the printing or embossing tends to lose detail upon application to a con tainer neck. The largest use of capsules to date has been upon containers for alcoholic beverages, and since a revenue stamp must be. applied exteriorly of the capsule, the decorative effect is lost. It is the primary object of my invention to improve'the capsules, whether of metallic foil or other opaque material, by the addition of a transparent window or visual, so that a revenue stamp, advertising or source-identifying material will be visible through a portion of the capsule. The invention permits the placing of the stamp or other desired matter over the closure proper prior to the application of the capsule, As a result, the stamp or the like is protected from accidental or purposeful removal without loss of visibility. The location of the stamp guarantees its cancellation by tearing as well as its, former exterior position. And finally, the entire decorative effect of the capsule is retained.

The form of capsule found most acceptable by the trade today is one made of metallic foil hav ing a skirt plaited along pre-determined lines of fold. While my invention is of particular importance with relation to this form, nevertheless it is an object of my invention that the improvement be universal, in the sense that it extends to all capsules having plaited skirts, as well as to those having smooth skirts.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent in considering the detailed descriptions accompanying the drawing, in which: vFig. 1 shows in perspective a window capsule particularly adapted for containers requiring ofilcial markings such as revenue stamps;

Fig. 2 shows in perspective a window capsule suited to display advertising material;

Fig. 3 shows in perspective a modification of Fig. 2; v Fig. 4 shows in perspective a window capsule having collapsed skirt plaits;

Fig. 5 shows in perspective a window capsule having open skirt plaits;

Fig. 6 shows in perspective a capsule blank preparatory to forming;

Fig. 7 shows in perspective the capsule in Fig. 5 applied to a container.

In the various views, like parts bear like reference numerals. Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, the capsule consists of a central transparent top band I and semi-circular opaque portions 3. One side of the skirt is shown with a transparent skirt band 2 and an opaque portion 4. The full width of the integral band indicated by the reference numerals I and 2 is shown by the broken lines within the lines defining the limits of the opaque portions 3 and 4. The

opaque portions overlap the edges of the transparent portions, and the overlapped portions are joined by a suitable adhesive or otherwise, as the nature of the two materials requires. The back side of the skirt of the capsule of Fig. 1, it should be understood, is identical with the part shown.

With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 3, each has a substantially circular, transparent top portion I which may be of varying sizes, as desired. In using this form of top portion, it will usually 7 be found expedient to facilitate forming to have an interrupted rim of the opaque material, such as indicatedat 3. Integral with the top portion I is a transparent skirt portion 2, which in Fig. 2 extends to the bottom of the skirt. In Fig. 3, the skirt portion 2. extends only part way to the bottom of he skirt. This form will be of definite advantage when the transparent material forming portions I and 2 is of such a character as to not readily take a definite set. In each of Figs.,2 and 3, the transparent skirt portion 2 is defined by an opaque skirt portion 4 that forms the major portion of the skirt.

In Fig. 4, a. further modification is shown. In this modification, the window or visual has not been extended to the skirt 4, which remains en entirely opaque. The transparent top portion I is bounded by a top rim 3 of opaque material integral with the skirt 4. The skirt portion in this modification is shown with a plurality of plaits in a collapsed form; that is, theplaits indicated by the reference numeral 5 have been first formed in open fashion and then collapsed one upon the other by application of suitable pressure within a die. The collapsed plaits are not limited to this embodiment and may be used whenever the capsule materials permit folding.

' In Fig. 5, the transparent portions I and 2 of the top and skirt respectively of the capsule have the same shape as the transparent portionsof Fig. 1. The same relationship is true of the opaque top portion 3. The opaque skirt portion 4 of Fig. 5, however, is shown to have a series of open plaits that extends around the entire circumference of the capsule skirt, including the transparent side portion 2. Again, it should be understood that the open plaits shown in this embodiment may be used whenever the capsule materials permit folding.

Fig. 6 shows a form of capsule blank that is illustrative of one means of adhering the transparent and opaque portions to permit the forming of the capsule. In this figure, the reference numeral i represents a circular blank of transparent material having superimposed portions of metallic foil ll secured to the blank of a transpar'ent material III by means of a suitable adhesive l2. When the capsule is formed from a blank of this type, there will be, as is apparent, an overall layer of transparent material. It should also be apparent that the configuration of the portions Ii can be varied from that shown in Fig. 6 to that required to form any of the modifications shown in the other figures or to form a window of another desired shape. In this connection, it must be remembered that Fig. 6 is an alternative form of blank to that required for the production of a capsule such as is illustrated in Fig. 1, where the opaque and transparent portions merely overlap for a suitable distance the respective adjacent edges. Either form of blank can be used to produce the improved capsule of my invention.

In Fig. '1, a capsule such as was shown in Fig. is shown as it would appear upon afllxation to a bottle. Again, the reference numerals I and 2 indicate the transparent portions of the top and skirt respectively of the capsule, while the numerals 3 and, 4 indicate the opaque portions of the top and skirt, respectively. The reference numeral 5 indicates plaits which have been collapsed along their predetermined lines of fold by the application of suitable pressure. The numeral 6 represents a. band of any desired material bearing the inscription which is to be visible through the capsule window. If desired, the strip or band i may be of such a length that the ends or an end project below the edge of the capsule skirt. When the materials used for the capsule are of a readily frangible nature, the protruding end of the strip i may be used as a rip-strip for the purpose of removing the capsule from its receptacle.

I have found that films of plasticized cellulom acetates of the cellophane type serve best for window material. This type of material will withstand bending into plaits, if desired, and has the further advantage of being the most transparent of the various materials available. When the window portions of the capsule skirt are plaited, the transparency of the window is somewhat diminished by reason of the overlapped portions of the collapsed plaits, and this will, in some instances, make the smooth window a preferred form.

While paper and the like may be used as the material for the remainder of the capsule, I have found that metallic foil is to be preferred, for numerous reasons. Foil is easily decorated without costly treatment, and is also easily handled by machine. When the piaited form of capsule is used, it is found that the foil will take a permanent set without the use of an adhesive, which characteristic not only reduces the manufacturing cost, but also facilitates the handling of the fabricated capsule, since the capsules are usually packed in stacks.

A number of adhesives have recently been placed upon the market for use with transparent films of the "cellophane" type. I have found that these adhesives are satisfactory for binding such films to foil, as well as to paper and the like.

Having described my invention with reference to several embodiments, I now claim:

1. In a composite cup-like capsule having a top and skirt composed of a transparent film and. overlying metallic foil adhesively secured thereto, an exposed section of said film forming a window extending entirely across said top and skirt, said composite capsule skirt, including said film, being formed into vertical plaits along definite lines of fold, whereby said capsule can be securely afilxed to a container by compression of said plaits thereagainst.

2. A composite cup-like capsule having a top and skirt composed of a transparent cellulosic film and metal foil overlying said film and adhesively secured thereto, an exposed section of said film forming a window extending entirely across said top and skirt, said composite capsule skirt including said exposed section of film being formed into vertical plaits collapsed along definite lines of fold, whereby said capsule can be securely afilxed to a container by compression of said skirt thereagainst.

WILLIAM E. GLENSKY. 

